VZCZCXYZ0021
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #0848 1441146
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241146Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1526
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1395

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000848 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL VE CI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - CHAVEZ' REGIONAL EFFORTS 
 
 
¶1. On May 23, conservative, influential newspaper-of-record "El 
Mercurio" (circ. 129,000) ran an editorial entitled, "Chavez in 
Latin America."  Quote: 
 
¶2. "Grupo de Diarios America is exploring...the phenomenon of 
Chavez' penetration in Latin America.  From the abundant information 
gathered we can see evidence of the so-called 'social 
diplomacy'...which consists of penetrating a country's social 
structure, circumventing the government....  The 
'Chavistas'...advance by providing material aid to the poor 
...offering scholarships, health and education assistance as a means 
to teach Venezuelan and Cuban political ideology....  This has given 
special visibility to Chavez's political project and has put Caracas 
and Washington in a confrontation.  Venezuela has surpassed the 
United States as the main donor. 
 
¶3.  "The 'Since Chavez' project is to finance movies that compete 
with 'Hollywood's dictatorship'...and fight U.S. cultural hegemony. 
It is possible that this 'Cold War' will increase tension.... 
 
¶4.  "The 'Bolivarian leader' is not only set on establishing the 
21st Socialist Revolution in his country, but also to export it in 
the continent, as we can see in Bolivia and Ecuador.  None of this 
is unimportant for Chile, and our authorities would do well in 
evaluating this very carefully." 
 
KELLY